Starting system for automobiles.



F. CONRAD. STARTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYH. 19H.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK CONRAD, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

STARTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Application filed May 11, 1914. Serial No. 837,717.

My invention relates to startin systems for automobiles, and it has for its object to provide a simple and convenient means for automatically controlling the ignition and starting mechanisms of automobiles.

In the operation of the various electrical systems employed in connection with automobiles, it is desirable to combine the functions of the controlling devices of such systems as are closely related in order to avoid a multiplicity of switching devices which occupy an extended space upon the dash board or other place of mounting. The combination of several controlling devices in a unitary structure not only lessens the cost of manufacture, but greatly simplifies the control of the several mechanisms.

I provide an arrangement in which the ignition and starting systems are controlled by a single switching device. The controlling lever of the switching device is arranged to automatically break the circuit of the starting motor when it is released by the operator. By this means, I avoid the possibility of the manipulation of the ignition mechanism during the starting of the engine and insure that the starting motor and the battery are disconnected whenever the controlling lever is not held in the starting position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partially in plan and partially in section, of a switch constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, in section, taken on line I'III of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the switch lever as viewed from the right of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of circuits and apparatus employed in connection with my invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a switch 1 comprises a base portion 2 of insulating material that is adapted to be secured to a suitable support by bolts 3. A casing 4; is provided, at its central portion,

with a flanged tubular member 5 which I serves as a p1votal support for a controlling lever 6. Four conducting plates 7, 8, 9 and 10 are each provided with a spring contact member 11 that is arranged to engage one of the conducting plates 12 of the usual removable ignition plug 13 by means of which the current in the ignition circuit may be reversed. A contact spring 14. is provided with a raised portion 15 to be engaged by the lever 6 during a portion of its movement. A contact member 16 is adapted to be engaged by the lever 6 at the end of its path of movement to the right (Fig. 1.)

The lever 6, as shown in Fig. 3, is provided with a cam member 17 having a projection 18 to be engaged by an accentuating device comprising a spring pressed plunger 19 to hold the lever in its off position or its on position, as the case may be. The respective positions of the lever 6 are indicatedby dot and dash lines and appropriate legends (Fig. 1). The cam member 17 comprises a flat portion 20 to be engaged when the lever is in its on position and an inclined portion 21 to be engaged by the plunger 19 when the lever is in its starting position. The plunger 19 presses with sufficient force upon the inclined portion 21 to bias the lever to the on position and thereby automatically break the electrical connection of the lever 6 to the contact member 16 when the lever is released by the operator.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the several systems and mechanisms are diagrammatically illustrated. The starting mechanism comprises an electric motor 22 having an armature shaft 23 upon which a pinion 2 1 is slidably mounted for movement into and out of mesh with a gear wheel 25 that is connected in any suitable manner to a gas engine (not shown). The pinion 24. is controlled by a shift rod 26 that is actuated by a magnet coil 27 A switch member 28,

which controls the motor circuit, is carried by the rod 26.

The ignition mechanism comprises a generator 29, an interrupter 30, which may be operated by the generator shaft 31, an induction coil 32, a distributer 33 and spark plugs 34. A cut-out or reverse-current relay switch 35, controls the connection of the generator to a storage battery 36,

It may be assumed that the various parts are in their respective inoperative positions and that it is desired to start the en gine. The operator first inserts the removable plug 13. The switch lever 6, which is grounded, is then actuated to the on position to complete the ignition circuit, which j extends from the positive termlnal of the battery 36 to ground, thence to the lever 6, contact spring 14, conductor blade. 9, plug 13, conductor blade 10, interrupter 30, conductor blade 7, plug 13, conductor blade 8, resistor 37 and primary winding of the induction coil 32 to the negative terminal of the battery. The further actuation of the lever 6 causes it to engage the contact member 16 and thus complete a circuit for the magnet coil 27 which extends from the posi tive terminal of the battery 36 to ground, thence through the lever 6, contact member 16, magnet coil 27, conductor 38, the arma ture of the generator 29 and generator series field winding 39 to the negative terminal of the battery. The magnet coil 27 will be energized to shift the rod 26 to the left and simultaneously mesh the pinion 24 with the gear wheel 25 and complete the circuit of the motor 22 which extends from the positive terminal of the battery 36, through the motor series field winding 40, motor armature, and switch member 28, to the negative terminal of the battery.

Whenthe engine starts under its own power, the operator releases the lever 6, whereupon it is actuated to the left, Fig. 4, by the plunger 19 and the inclined portion 21, todisconnect it from the contact member 16 and thereby deenergize the magnet coil 27 The shiftrod 26 is then retracted by a spring 41 to disengage the pinion 24 from the gear wheel 25 and to open the motor circuit.- When the engine speed has increased to a predetermined amount, the generator voltage will have reached such a value that the actuating coils 42 and 43 of the cut-out 35 are suiiiciently energized to attract the armature 44 and close the charging circuit of the generator.

The charging circuit extends from one terminal of the generator throughseries coil 42 of the cut'out 35 and armature member 44 to ground, thence to the grounded terminal of the battery 36, through the battery and series field winding 39 to the other terminal of the generator. When the generator voltage decreases to a value less than that of the battery, current tends to flow in the reverse direction through the charging circuit above described, and the series coil 42, which normally assists the shunt coil 43 of the cut-out, now opposes the latter, and the armature is drawn upwardly by a suitable spring to open the charging circuit. When it is desired to stop the engine, the lever 6 is actuated to its ofi position to open the ignition circult.

If the operator fails to release the lever 6 as soon as the engine starts under its power, the motor becomes disconnected from the engine when the armature 4-4 of the cut-out closes the charging circuit and thereby shortcircuits the. magnet coil 27. When the cutout closes the charging circuit, as described above, the coil 27 is shunted by a circuit ex tending from one terminal of the coil through contact member 16 and lever 6 to ground, thence to the armature 44, which is grounded, and through series coil 42 to the other terminal of coil 27 The coil 27 is de energized upon the completion of the circuit just traced. The spring 41 will then retract the rod 26 to disconnect the pinion 24 from the fly wheel gear 25 and to open the switch 28.

A modified form of the switch 1 is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4. A blade spring 45, that is attached to the base portion 2 in any suitable manner, disengages the lever 6 from the contact member 16 when the lever is released by the operator. That part of the contact spring 14 which does not engage the lever 6 is cut away for the sake of clearness, only the raised portion 15 being shown.

It will be noted that I provide an arrangement by means of which the ignition switch and the starting switch are combined in a unitary structure. The actuation of the controlling lever to a position slightly beyond that of the usual on position offers a con venient means for controlling the starting mechanism. The arrangement of the switch insures that the various operations will occur in their proper sequence and that the starting motor will be automatically disconnected from the engine upon the release of the controlling lever by the operator.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electrical system, the combination with an internal combustion engine, and ignition and starting mechanisms therefor, of means comprising a single movable switch member for progressively rendering said ignition mechanism operative, rendering said starting mechanism operative and for automatically rendering said starting mechanism inoperativeand independent means for rendering said ignition mechanlsm inoperatlve.

2. In an electrical system, the combination with an internal combustion engine, and ignition mechanism and starting mechanism therefor, of cont-rolling means having a plurality of positions, in one of which, the ignition mechanism only is operative and in another of which both mechanisms are operative, and means for automatically returning the con-trolling means to one of said positions when placed in the other position.

3. In an electrical system, the combination with an internal combustion engine,

and starting and ignition mechanisms therefor, of a unitar device for controlling said mechanisms, said device comprising means for maintaining it in either of two positions to render the ignition mechanism operative or inoperative, and means for yieldingly opposing a third position in which the starting mechanism is operative.

4. In an electrical system, the combination with ignition mechanism, and starting mechanism, of a switching device for controlling said mechanisms having three positions, in one of which, both mechanisms are inoperative, a second, in which the ignition mechanism only is operative, and a third, in which both mechanisms are operative, said device comprising means for automatically assuming the second position when adjusted to the third position.

5. In an electrical'system, the combination with ignition mechanism, and a dynamo-electric machine, of means for controlling the electrical circuits of said mechanism and said machine, said means comprising a movable member having three positions, in one of which the ignition mechanism and the dynamo-electric machine are inoperative, a second position in which the ignition mechanism onl is operative, and a third position in whic both the ignition mechanism and dynamo-electric machine are operative, said member being unstable in one of said positions.

6. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine member, an electric motor, an electromagnet for controlling the operative connection of said motor to said engine, and ignition mechanism for said engine, of means for controlling the circuit of said electromagnetwhile maintaining the operativeness of said ignition mechanism.

7. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine member, an electric motor, an electromagnet for controlling the operative connection of said motor to said engine, and ignition mechanism for said engine, of a single movable member for controlling said ignition mechanism and the circuit of said electromagnet.

8. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine fly-wheel gear, a starting motor, a shiftable pinion for coacting with said fly-wheel gear, an electromagnet for controlling said pinion. and ignition mechanism, of a single movable member for controlling said electromagnet and said ignition mechanism.

9. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine fly-wheel gear, a starting motor, a shiftable pinion for coacting with said fly-wheel gear, an electromagnet for controlling said pinion, and ignition mechanism, of a single movable member for successively controlling said electromagnet and said ignition mechanism.

10. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine fly-wheel gear, a starting motor, a shiftable pinion for coacting with said fly-vvheel gear, an electromagnet for controlling said pinion, and ignition mechanism, of a single movable member for successively controlling said electromagnet and said i ition mechanism, and means for biasing said member to a position in which the ignition mechanism alone is operative.

11. In an electrical system, the combination with the ignition mechanism and starting mechanism of an internal-combustion engine, of controlling means therefor comprising a unitary switch having independently operable switch members, onefor progressively rendering said ignition mechanism operative, rendering said starting mechanism operative and for rendering said starting mechanism inoperative, and another for interrupting the circuit of said ignition mechanism.

12. In an electrical system, the combination with the ignition mechanism and starting mechanism of an internal-combustion engine, of controlling means therefor comprising switch mechanism having two independently operable switch members, one of said members for completing or interrupting the circuit of said ignition mechanism and also for reversing the flow of current in said ignition circuit, and the other member for progressively rendering said ignition mechanism operative, rendering said starting mechanism operative and for autom-atically rendering said starting mechanism inoperative.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto iulficribed my name this 27th day of April,

FRANK CONRAD.

Witnesses:

W. L. VVRIcH'r, B. B. Hnvns. 

